redlobster

Thank you all for the great replies.
While I was reserching on line I found this, it looks like a plan

http://www.cellularabroad.com/canadaRcell.php
Would appreciate your comments on this

I did look at Walki Talkies, but to be honest they are just as expensive.

windward

Ummm... I can't say I'd recommend them. This rental service will cost you what:

$49.99 for the SIM, (yours to keep)
$49.99 for 14 days rental, then you post the phone back to the US.
$20 if you want a phone that isn't a relic by the looks of the picture, for those 14 days.
US$0.40 per minute for calls within Canada.
US$0.40/$0.60 per minute for international incoming/outgoing.

Total $99.98/$119.98 before you even start with $10 pre-paid credit free. The lack of access to voicemail without credit is pretty tight-fisted also. International rates are good, though I doubt seriously that they're for any other destination than the US.

You could go this way with Virgin Mobile:

$29.99 LG 150
Or
$49.99 Samsung M300 or LG160.
$0.30 per minute for calls within your local area in Canada.
$1.15 (UK) to $5.30 (Tahiti) per minute for international outgoing.
No SIM req'd.

Total $29.99/$49.99 with $20 free airtime, buy the phone online and you get an extra $15.

There are cheaper, refurbished handsets here: http://www.virginmobile.ca/vmc/en/ph...?preloved=true

Or you could check your make/model of UK mobile will work on Canadian frequencies and buy a Rogers or Fido SIM. I think you can get them for about $20 and rates per min will be roughly the same as Virgin.

destinationnovascotia

Seems expensive to me too. I didn't read the whole thing but I imagine that there is postage on top of that. Also, until you need to ask people which provider is best for where you are going as some have very patchy coverage.